Unit 9: Waste Not,
Want Not
‘4Rs: Where R U?’
activity guide and
worksheet
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This project was funded by the Department of
Sustainability and Environment.
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Unit 9: Waste Not, Want Not
‘4Rs: Where R U?’ activity guide
Estimated duration: 20 minutes
Aim

To increase waste reduction behaviours: refuse (avoid), reduce, reuse and
recycle.
Outcome
By the end of this class, students will be able to:
 understand their own waste management practices
 develop ideas and strategies to reduce waste
Resources


Worksheet: ‘4Rs: Where R U?’
Calculator
Activity Description
1. Distribute the worksheet to each student.
2. Ask them to fill in the survey on the worksheet, putting a zero next to
anything they never do, a one next to things they sometimes do, and a two
next to things they always do.
3. Ask them to calculate their sub-totals for each of the 4Rs: refuse, reduce,
reuse and recycle. Then have them calculate their percentages for each R.
The students may need to revise how to calculate percentages.
4. Answer the questions on the worksheet to help summarise and consolidate
learning, and discuss the results with the class.
Student Roles and Responsibilities
Participate in agreed tasks
Contribute to class discussions
Complete activities and worksheets
Seek teacher assistance and support when needed
Level of Teacher Support
Facilitate discussion
Organise materials and equipment
Provide encouragement
Introduce tasks and activities
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Provide assistance when requested
Teach or reinforce numerical skills and understanding
Assessment
To use this learning activity as an assessment task, collect evidence such as:
Teacher checklist and observation
Copies of student materials and worksheets
Teacher checklist for class discussions
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Unit 9: Waste Not, Want Not
‘4Rs. Where RU?’ worksheet
Complete the following survey on the 4 Rs: Refuse Reduce Reuse and Recycle. Score
each question with 0= Never, 1 = Sometimes or 2 = Always
Refuse
At the shops, how often do you:
Never
Sometimes
Always
1. Take your own bag or basket
0
1
2
2. Avoid cheap items which are likely to break, and buy
0
1
2
better quality durable items instead
3. Avoid buying things you don’t need
0
1
2
4. Chose items you can refilled or which are made from
0
1
2
materials which can be recycled
5. Buy products made from recycled materials, e.g paper
0
1
2
6. Choose the largest product with the least packaging
0
1
2
Sub total out of total score of 12 = ______________
Reduce
How often do you:
Never
Sometimes
Always
1. Make gifts and cards rather than buying them
0
1
2
2. Make your own food at home rather than buying
0
1
2
takeaway food, or buy takeaway food which has no
packaging
3. Reduce your use of disposable packaging for your
0
1
2
school lunch (e.g. use reusable bags or containers for
sandwiches, avoid individually packaged items – if you
have a drink, buy a big bottle for home and put just some
of it in a reusable bottle to take with you)
4. Have your clothes, watch and shoes repaired, instead
0
1
2
of replacing them
5. Borrow things that you don’t use very often, instead of
0
1
2
buying your own
Sub total out of total score of 10 = ______________
Reuse
How often do you:
Never
Sometimes
Always
1. Reuse old envelopes
0
1
2
2. Buy second hand books for school, work and pleasure
0
1
2
3. Reuse paper printed on one side for printing drafts
0
1
2
4. Reuse paper printed on one side for notes
0
1
2
5. Save plastic food containers for lunches or storage
0
1
2
6. Donate plastic containers and egg cartons to schools
0
1
2
and kindergartens
7. Reuse empty glass jars for jams and sauces
0
1
2
Sub total out of total score of 14 = ______________
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Recycle
How often do you recycle:
Never
Sometimes
Always
1. Paper and cardboard
0
1
2
2. Glass jars and bottles
0
1
2
3. Aluminium can
0
1
2
4. Plastic bottles
0
1
2
5. Milk and juice cartons
0
1
2
6. Steel “tin” cans
0
1
2
7. Food and vegetable scraps into a compost bin
0
1
2
8. Unwanted clothes to charities or op shops
0
1
2
9. Plastic supermarket bags
0
1
2
10. Batteries
0
1
2
11. Laser print cartridges
0
1
2
12. Corks
0
1
2
13. Mobile phones
0
1
2
14. Old computers
0
1
2
Sub total out of total score of 28 = ______________
Add up your subtotals:
Refuse
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Total
/12
/10
/14
/28
/64
%
%
%
%
%
Q1. Which is your best R?
Q2. What are some new Rs you hadn’t thought of before?
Q3. Which R needs the most improvement?
Q4. Make a list of three (3) short term and three (3) long term improvement
strategies.
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